The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

A digging pooch turns a meadow into a field of buried treasure. In cumulative “The House That Jack Built” fashion, Impey’s tale of canine mischief begins when Spot buries a bone while his master takes the tractor out to mow the meadow. When the master adds a man, Spot buries a garden gnome; three men, and it’s a brass trombone. And so on to seven, when Spot buries “the key to get home,” leaving all seven bemused men to dig up the meadow in the dark. The lack of exact rhymes is especially bothersome (“gnome” rhyming with both “bone” and “scones”) because the text is so minimal, but Mould’s illustrations are deliciously quirky, with a hint of Gahan Wilson wackiness. Parents of children ensnared by the rhythmic accumulation will enjoy such details as a running visual joke that involves Spot’s theft of the various items from a tough bulldog and the clear imprint of fossil shells in the “flat black stone.” Still, clear as Spot’s actions are, the men’s accomplishments are murkier, making this one ultimately forgettable. (Picture book. 3-5)

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